I recently received the below story from a friend.
My friend has had a tough year like many of us.
In the last 18 months, he lost his business, got divorced, and then lost his house. If anyone has the right to be depressed, he’s got my vote.
But he’s not like that. He doesn’t give up. He’s an optimist.
Just read the story that he sent me…
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy
class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. And he shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else
He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with an unanimous “yes”
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
“I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.”
“The golf balls are the important things – Family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions.
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.”
“The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.”
“The sand is everything else —
the small stuff.”
“If you put the sand into the jar first, he continued,
there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.”
“The same goes for life. . .”
“If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”
So . . .
“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.”
“Play with your children.”
“Take time to get medical checkups.”
“Take your partner out to dinner.”
“There will always be time
to clean the house and fix that dripping tap.”
“Take care of the golf balls first —
the things that really matter!”
“Always set your priorities; the rest is just sand.”
One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled.
“I’m glad you asked.”
“It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there’s always room for a couple cups of coffee with a friend.”
If you’re in job search mode, or in transition, or considering moving companies, I can’t tell you how important this is for your career.
No matter where you are in your career, or if you out there looking for a job right now… take this advice to heart.
People hire People. You need to get out there, be your professional self, and meet people. Meet people in your industry. Meet people in your gym. Meet people in your neighborhood. You’d be shocked at how few of your neighbors really know each other in a professional way.
P.S. – I guess that goes to show that your glass of water is never 1/2 empty or 1/2 Full… there’s always more room to grow!
